Aussies stuck in Bali fume as Virgin Australia flight to Sydney cancelled at 3am

Virgin Australia passengers were stuck in Bali for two days after their flight was abruptly cancelled at 3am.

Furious Australian travellers have been stuck in Bali for two days after their Virgin Australia flight home to Sydney was cancelled earlier this week.

Footage showed angry passengers demanding ground staff find them accommodation or another way home after being told their Wednesday night flight had been cancelled at about 3am on Thursday.

The airline notified passengers their new flight would be two days later on Saturday.

“How come you have let us wait until 3 o’clock in the morning with children. This is disgusting,” one mum at the airport said.

It appeared passengers were told staff were trying to find accommodation for them and provided a $200 voucher for the tourists to find their own hotel as an alternative.

“If you can’t do it, how are we going to do it? It’s your responsibility. You need to find it, you need to work it out,” one woman said.

“Heaps of families with kids, where are they going to take their kids in the middle of the night?” a man added.

news.com.au confirmed a recovery flight departed Denpasar at 8.15am on Saturday.

It is understood the earlier Sydney to Denpasar flight on Wednesday was delayed due to strong winds and a crew member also fell sick, leading to the cancellation of the Denpasar to Sydney flight.

“We sincerely apologise and regret the inconvenience caused to guests impacted by the cancellation of flight VA68,” a Virgin Australia spokesperson said.

It is understood in addition to the $200 voucher for accommodation, affected passengers were also offered $30 per day for food.

Flight tracking data from flightradar24.com showed the earlier flight (VA65) from Sydney was diverted to Darwin before it continued on to Bali and landed at about 3am on Thursday.

In the footage, a passenger at the airport was seen demanding to know why they couldn’t get on the Virgin Australia aircraft that had landed. He was told it would be a ferry flight.

A ferry flight is a flight with no passengers for the purpose of returning the aircraft to where it needs to be.

The earlier flight from Sydney to Bali was diverted to Darwin before it continued on. Picture: flightradar24.com

Three videos of passengers clashing with staff have been viewed over 180,000 times on TikTok. Many viewers have condemned the passengers’ behaviour towards staff.

“Oh the poor lady. Not her fault, she’s only doing what has been asked from her. Be kind people,” one comment read with over 700 likes.

“I used to work as a check in agent/ground staff and this video has reminded me why I quit,” said another top comment.

“The ground crew aren’t the reason the flight isn’t going so why the abuse towards her … this is truly so sad,” a third said.

“Well don’t blame the ground crew! They’re trying to know all the information as much as you passengers are. Anger doesn’t solve anything,” wrote someone else.

Many TikTok users said the situation was exactly why people needed travel insurance.

“Instead of getting upset with staff that probably don’t get told much as well, just book accommodation keep all receipts and claim on your travel insurance,” suggested one person.

A former Virgin Australia cabin crew member said: There is no crew base in Bali, if a crew member is sick there is not enough crew to operate a passenger flight on that aircraft flown in … They should of advised passengers though.”